#8 & #7

Lesson #8 - Peer Pressure

I didn't realize how much I over ate when I was in social settings until I decided to cut my carb intake drastically.  When I looked at how I would eat at those times, I realized the social pressure to eat and the peer pressure to eat was larger than I had expected.  I have been to lunch with different people who want to share or ask if I want some of their food.  I would politely say, "no thanks, I'm full," or "No thanks, I'm good."  I am amazed how many times I got asked when I was finished.  I kept thinking, am I looking at their food like a begging dog?  So, then I made sure to look them in the eye or let my gaze look around the restaurant.  I felt very proud of myself that I could be a broken record and keep saying, "No thank you," without feeling like I hurt anyone's feelings.  I think that people feel nervous when you are dieting and not eating as much as they are eating.  The lesson I learned is to keep saying no, politely.  If they keep it up the pestering, it is their issue not mine. :)

Lesson #7 - Nay Sayers
When you are on a diet like Atkins, there are A LOT of Nay Sayers.  Everyone has an opinion and I do mean everyone!  After having lost 53 pounds people will ask, "What are you doing?" and I tell them, "I have a diet pact and exercise bet."  When they ask are you following a certain plan? I am always hesitant to say I'm doing Atkins, because it is a very mixed bag of responses I get from other people.  Some people nod, other people clench their jaws, and some even tell me how unhealthy it is for me to be on Atkins.  I usually tell them, I have never eaten as many veggies as I have while I'm on Atkins.  This usually makes them either let it go or continue on an anti-Atkins diatribe.  I try not to let these kinds of Nay Sayers bother me because I have never felt healthier than when I follow Atkins.  I say if you find a diet that works for you (Atkins, south beach, Blood Type, Weight Watchers) then do it!  It is your journey of weight loss not theirs!  Now I'm not saying follow something blindly, do your own research as to what is best for you, but if it is something you can maintain for the long haul then do it, I don't think I'll ever go back to the way I ate before, never.  This doesn't mean I won't have cheats every now and then, but when I finally get down to my goal weight I will follow Atkins for the rest of my life. 

Here are the pictures of our 5K from this last weekend

The one of the three of us (Me, my sister Gretchen, & Holly) is before the race.  The one by myself is my sillyness about having done the 5K!  Holly and I were so excited we decided we were going to do the one in December too!  We walked a 5k in under 50 minutes and we ran the last little bit of the 5K.  We've decided to just add more running each time we do a 5K.